All Oregon residents, businesses, and communities affected by the wildfires that began on September 7 should register for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as soon as possible.
Register using any of these methods:
- Visit DisasterAssistance.gov.
- Download the FEMA app.
- Call 1-800-621-3362, TTY 1-800-462-7585, or if you use 711-relay or video relay services, call 1-800-621-3362. The toll-free telephone lines are operated from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. PDT seven days a week.
U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Disaster Loans
Low-interest disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, and businesses. Call the SBA at 1-800-659-2955.
USDA Rural Development Fire Recovery Assistance
Loans, loan guarantees, and grants to help rural communities, Tribes, individuals, and businesses recover and rebuild.
Quick Links to COVID-19 Resources
Visit www.coronavirus.gov for the latest news from the CDC on Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Visit www.rd.usda.gov/coronavirus for the latest news from Rural Development on how we are helping our partners, customers, and stakeholders impacted by COVID-19.
FUNDING:
New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program
U.S. Department of the Treasury (USDT) Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund
Purpose: Support investments in business and economic development projects in distressed rural and urban counties, including capital investments in health care facilities. Eligibility: Certified Community Development Entities. Funding: Tax incentives. Application Deadline: November 16, 2020
Rural Health Network Development Planning Program
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Purpose: Help plan and develop integrated rural healthcare networks to achieve efficiencies; expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and strengthen the rural health care system as a whole. Eligibility: Domestic public and private nonprofit and for-profit entities. Funding: Up to $2 million in grants is available nationwide; individual awards of up to $100,000. Application Deadline: November 16, 2020
Energy and Mineral Development Program
U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI), Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Office of Indian Energy and Economic Development, Division of Energy and Mineral Development
Purpose: Provide technical assistance funding to hire consultants to identify, evaluate, or assess the market for energy or mineral resources that a Tribe will process, use, or develop. Eligibility: Tribes and Tribal Energy Development Organizations. Funding: Individual grants of $10,000 to $2.5 million; up to 30 awards are expected. Application Deadline: December 2, 2020.
Energy Technology Deployment on Tribal Lands
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)
Purpose: Deploy energy generating technology on tribal lands. Eligibility: Indian Tribes, including Alaska Native Regional Corporations and Village Corporations, Intertribal Organizations, and Tribal Energy Development Organizations. Funding: Up to $15 million is available nationwide. Application Deadline: December 10, 2020
Indian Housing Block Grants
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
Purpose: Support affordable housing activities that benefit low-income Native American families. Eligibility: Indian tribes and tribally-designed housing entities. Funding: Grant amounts vary. Application Deadline: December 10, 2020.
Community Opioid Intervention Pilot Project
HHS Indian Health Service
Purpose: Address the opioid crisis in American Indian and Alaska Native communities by developing and expanding community education and awareness of prevention, treatment, and recovery activities for opioid misuse and opioid use disorder. Eligibility: Native American tribal governments and 501(c)(3) nonprofits other than institutions of higher education. Funding: Individual grants of $500,000; up to $16.5 million is available nationwide. Application Deadline: December 15, 2020
Minority Serving Institutions Partnership Program – Tribal Education Partnership Program
DOE National Nuclear Security Administration
Purpose: Create and foster a sustainable STEM pipeline consisting of a workforce of world-class talent through strategic partnerships between Minority Serving Institutions and DOE. Eligibility: Institutions of higher education and Federally-recognized Native American tribal governments. Funding: Individual grants of $500,000 to $1 million; up to $13 million is available nationwide. Application Deadline: December 18, 2020
Community Connect Grant Program
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development
Purpose: Provide internet access in rural, economically-challenged communities where broadband service does not currently exist. Eligibility: Incorporated organizations, federally-recognized Tribes, state and local governments, and other legal entities (cooperatives, private corporations, and limited liability companies). Funding: Individual grants of $100,000 to $3 million. Application Deadline: December 23, 2020
GATHER Food Sovereignty Grant
First Nations
Purpose: Support work that contributes to a vision of Native communities and food systems that are self-directed, well-resourced, and supported by community policies and systems. Eligibility: Federal- and state-recognized tribal governments, Native-controlled 501(c)(3) nonprofits, Native-controlled community organizations with fiscal sponsorship, and Native 7871 organizations. Funding: Individual grants of up to $32,000. Application Deadline: January 14, 2021
Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
Purpose: Strengthen the nation’s ability to build a culture of preparedness by reducing disaster losses and protecting life and property from future damage. Eligibility: Federally-recognized Native American tribal governments and state governments. Funding: Up to $500 million in grants is available nationwide. Application Deadlines: January 29, 2021
Flood Mitigation Assistance
FEMA
Purpose: Reduce or eliminate the risk of repetitive flood damage to buildings and structures insured under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Eligibility: State governments and federally-recognized Native American tribal governments. Funding: Up to $160 million is available nationwide. Application Deadlines: January 29, 2021
Community Wood Energy and Wood Innovation Grant
USDA Forest Service
Purpose: Support community wood energy systems and innovative wood product facilities Eligibility: Nonprofits; local, state, and Tribal governments; businesses; companies; corporations; institutions of higher education; and special purpose districts. Funding: Individual grants of up to $1.5 million; approximately $5 million is available nationwide. Application Deadline: February 3, 2021
Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) Renewable Energy Systems and Energy Efficiency Improvements
USDA Rural Development
Purpose: Support the adoption of renewable energy systems and energy efficiency improvements. Eligibility: Agricultural producers and small, rural businesses. Funding: Individual grants of $1,500 to $500,000; individual loan guarantees of $5,000 to $25 million. Application Deadline: March 31, 2021 (grants and loan guarantee/grant combos); accepted on an ongoing basis (loan guarantees)
Biorefinery, Renewable Chemical and Biobased Product Manufacturing Assistance Program
USDA Rural Development
Purpose: Assist in the development, construction, and retrofitting of new and emerging technologies, including advanced biofuels, renewable chemicals, and biobased products. Eligibility: Federal- and state-chartered banks, federally-recognized Tribes, cooperatives, farm credit banks or other farm credit system institutions with direct lending authority, credit unions, and National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporations providing loans to individuals, public and private entities, state and local governments, corporations, Indian tribes, farm cooperatives, associations of agricultural producers, national laboratories, institutions of higher education, and public power entities. Funding: Individual loan guarantees of up to $250 million. Application Deadlines: April 1, 2021
Business and Industry (B&I) CARES Act Program
USDA Rural DevelopmentPurpose: Help rural businesses and agricultural producers supplement their working capital needs to prevent, prepare for, or respond to the economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic by guaranteeing loans. Eligibility: Federal and state-chartered banks, savings and loan banks, farm credit banks, and credit unions providing loans to for-profit businesses, nonprofits, cooperatives, federally-recognized Tribes, and public bodies, including agricultural producers not eligible for USDA Farm Service Agency loans. Funding: Up to $1 billion in loan guarantees is available nationwide. Application Deadline: September 15, 2021, or until funds are expended.
Oweesta Native CDFI Loan Funds and Technical Assistance
First Nations Oweesta Corporation
Purpose: Provide financing capital for Native Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and other Tribal or nonprofit loan funds. Eligibility: Native-controlled lenders with a primary mission of serving Native communities. Funding: Individual loans of up to $500,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis
FY 2020 Public Works and Economic Adjustment Assistance Programs
U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) Economic Development Administration (EDA)
Purpose: Provide resources to economically distressed communities and regions to help finance construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects. Eligibility: State, county, city, special district, and township governments; institutions of higher education; nonprofits; and federally-recognized Native American Tribal governments. Funding: Individual grants and cooperative agreements of $100,000 to $30 million. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis
Farm Storage Facility Loan Program
USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA)
Purpose: Improve infrastructure resilience and business opportunities by helping agricultural producers build or upgrade facilities (barns, tanks, cold storage, etc.) to store commodities, including grains, fruits, vegetables, and aquaculture products. Eligibility: Landlords, leaseholders, tenants, and sharecroppers of eligible commodities. Funding: Individual low-interest loans of up to $500,000. Application Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis
Rural Opportunities to Use Transportation for Economic Success
U.S. Department of Transportation
Purpose: Address disparities in rural transportation infrastructure through a variety of funding opportunities. Eligibility: Varies. Funding: Varies. Application Deadline: Varies by program.
Water & Waste Disposal Loan & Grant Program
USDA Rural Development
Purpose: Help very small, financially distressed rural communities with a population of 10,000 or less build or upgrade safe, reliable drinking water, sewage disposal, storm water drainage, and solid waste disposal systems. Eligibility: Most state and local governments, private nonprofits, and Federally-recognized Tribes. Funding: Loans, loan guarantees, and limited grant funding is available; amounts vary. Applications Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
Community Facilities Loan & Grant Program
USDA Rural Development
Purpose: Develop essential community facilities such as hospitals, schools, and other facilities that provide vital services for rural communities with a population of 20,000 or less. Eligibility: Public bodies, community-based nonprofits, and Federally-recognized Tribes. Funding: Loans, loan guarantees, and limited grant funding is available; amounts vary. Applications Deadline: Applications are accepted on an ongoing basis.
EVENTS:
2020 Cooperative Network Annual Meeting
Nov. 17 | Virtual
The Cooperative Network welcomes all to join their annual meeting to hear from their board and learn about proposed resolution changes.
Introducing Telehealth to Rural and Indigenous Communities
Nov. 18 – 19 | Virtual The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Office of Regional Operations – Regions 6, 7, and 8, Heartland, Southwest, and the Great Plains Telehealth Resource Centers, North Dakota Department of Health, and the Spirit Lake Tribe invite all to attend this free training event to learn more about telehealth for Native communities.
Intertribal Agriculture Council (IAC) Virtual Conference
Dec. 7 – 10 | Virtual The IAC hosts the largest gathering of American Indian agriculture producers, Tribal natural resource professionals, and USDA service providers, featuring both learning and networking opportunities.
National American Indian Housing Council’s Legal Symposium
Dec. 8 – 10 | Virtual
The National American Indian Housing Council will host a virtual event to provide a forum to discuss regulatory and legal issues in the Tribal housing arena, as well as related community development issues.
PUBLICATIONS & TOOLS:
Collaborating for Prosperity with American Indians and Alaska Natives: USDA Rural Development Programs for Tribes, Tribal Families, Children, and Communities
USDA Rural Development
This publication showcases the many ways tribes and tribal members can utilize USDA Rural Development’s programs to improve the quality of life in tribal communities.
USDA Tribal Youth Resource Guide
USDA
This resource guide is designed to help Native youth stay informed about programs and resources relating to health, education, and leadership.
Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership
The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’ Center for Indian Country Development
This publication provides a guide to the government and private mortgage programs, the new kinds of lenders (loan funds, Native CDFIs), and efforts that are transforming Indian housing.
Tribal Nations and the United States: An Introduction
National Congress of American Indians
This publication seeks to provide a basic overview of the history and underlying principles of tribal governance and introductory information about tribal governments and American Indian and Alaska Native people today.
Scholarships for Native American Students
Community for Accredited Schools
This website dives deep into an array of resources for Native American students.
Facts for Features: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2020
U.S. Census Bureau
This website presents a variety of statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Newsletters, websites, and emails from which we gather this information include:
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